


I Think He Knows

by SherlockWolf



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Flirting, M/M, Mutual Pining, Songfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-23
Updated: 2020-08-23
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:07:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,177
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26057704
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SherlockWolf/pseuds/SherlockWolf
Summary: “I think he knows.” Noctis whispers to his locker as Prompto trots away to catch the bus back to his side of town.His best friend’s touch lingers like his fingers had on his hip, tingling and warm. Noctis wants—more than anything he’s perhaps wanted in his life thus far—to follow him, put his shoes on every well-traced footprint to Prompto’s front door. He wants to spend the night on Prompto’s couch, in his bed, with him like he’s done every weekend this semester. Maybe…maybe tonight he could have finally told him.~Title/theme of piece based on Taylor Swift's song of the same name.
Relationships: Prompto Argentum/Noctis Lucis Caelum
Comments: 6
Kudos: 49





	I Think He Knows

“I think he knows.” Noctis whispers to his locker as Prompto trots away to catch the bus back to his side of town.

His best friend’s touch lingers like his fingers had on his hip, tingling and warm. Noctis wants—more than anything he’s perhaps wanted in his life thus far—to follow him, put his shoes on every well-traced footprint to Prompto’s front door. He wants to spend the night on Prompto’s couch, in his bed, _with_ him like he’s done every weekend this semester. Maybe…maybe tonight he could have finally told him.

But duty calls, and so does King Regis. Noctis answers his buzzing phone and forces Prompto from his mind. Dad wants to have dinner tonight. It’s important.

~

Prompto throws his head back and laughs, even though Noctis’ joke was dumber than that time Pryna had walked right into the screen door of the porch. Prompto grips his water glass so it doesn’t fall as he keeps laughing, curling his knees to his stomach on the couch cushion. Noctis rests the weight of his head on his fist, arm bent with elbow resting on the couch, and watches the way Prompto’s fingers circle the glass. His mind jumps to those fingers around something far, far different. Prompto’s eyes peak open, glistening with mirth, and catch Noctis’ stare.

“What?” He asks teasingly.

Noctis moves his gaze to the carpet and ignores the question as well as the whispers in his mind.

_I think he knows_.

As if it matters. Not with what King Regis decided, on Noctis’ behalf, without his permission, without _asking._ It was so rare for his dad to do that, to go over Noctis’ head as though his happiness meant nothing.

‘ _Why aren’t you smiling, son? I thought you would be happy to marry Lady Lunafreya?_.’ His dad had sounded so unsure, so worried, realizing his mistake far too late to take it back.

Noctis has to tell Prompto. Before the media tells him. That’s his job, his duty as a best friend. But the words have been caught in his throat all night, from the moment Prompto arrived until now, where they lodge behind his Adam’s Apple and threaten to suffocate him. Noctis doesn’t want to shatter their bubble, the bubble Prompto _gave_ him. In which they are both just seventeen-year-old boys in their final semester of high school, laughing at nonsense with water glasses full of wine. Breaking rules like they’re meant to be.

Six, does Noctis ever want to break the rules tonight.

He doesn’t.

He does tell Prompto about the treaty. Nothing changes between them, except Prompto doesn’t laugh again for a month.

~

“Hey, babe?”

Noctis is pretty sure his stomach does a summersault, and his voice croaks horribly as he responds, “Huh?”

Prompto appears in the doorframe between the kitchen and living room, arms full of candy for their movie tonight.

“Could you grab the popcorn?” He asks innocently, but Noctis catches his gleeful smirk and the way his eyes trace Noctis’ body, sprawled out on his couch.

Noctis hides the way his cheeks heat up by hopping to his feet and rushing to the kitchen. Prompto acts like he doesn’t know. But he does.

Prompto’s been doing this a lot lately, especially when they’re at his own apartment and far from any potential royal spies. Flirting. Calling Noctis “babe”. Teasing smiles, looking up through lashes, brief touches to Noctis’ arms or neck or sides that never last yet promise so much more. He’s driving Noctis insane because Noctis can’t tell if he’s being silly or if he means it.

They watch the movie in comfortable silence, Prompto’s head pillowed on Noctis’ thighs, one of Noctis’ hands coming through his hair. Prompto falls asleep nearly every time Noctis does that. Tonight is no exception. Prompto’s on his way to dreamland when Noctis’ phone buzzes on the arm of the couch. Noctis picks it up as Prompto lifts his head. They both read the text from Ignis, asking if Noctis needs a ride home. One of Prompto’s hands pushes away the phone.

“Stay.”

~

Noctis doesn’t mean to snoop. It’s just, Prompto handed him to look at pictures of frogs, and Noctis so happened to swipe passed the last picture of frogs onto…himself. It’s a picture of him, right? He can look. The picture after that is also of himself. And the next, and the next and…when did Prompto even find the chance to take all these? And how had Noctis not noticed?

The phone disappears from his hands. Noctis comically follows its path with his head, staring at a sleeping picture of himself clutched in Prompto’s hands. Then the screen goes dark. He looks up to find Prompto blushing and glaring, as if this is somehow Noctis’ fault.

“I said _frogs_.” Prompto snaps.

“It’s just me.” Noctis means the pictures, but Prompto takes it a different way.

“Yeah, but you’re also…you know. You.”

“What?” Noctis doesn’t know if he means “you” as in _royalty_ or _best friend_.

Knowing Prompto it’s probably the latter. Noctis hopes it’s the latter. He never finds out because Gladio’s booming voice announces he and Ignis are returning to camp with firewood. Noctis has a passing thought, a mix of images and emotions that make him wonder if _he_ knows something, too.

~

Noctis drives at night. Ignis does too much already, and it’s the least Noctis can do. He’s nineteen, almost twenty. He doesn’t need to sleep as much as his older friend. He doesn’t want to, either. The more minutes he can spend awake, pretending he’s on a simple summer vacay with his best friends, the better.

They don’t have far to go in the dark tonight, headed toward the famed chocobo post to give Prompto a taste before they have to continue toward Altissa. Luna bought him an extra week by making up something she desperately needed for the wedding. Noctis isn’t sure he can ever thank her enough.

Ignis and Gladio are asleep in the backseat. Prompto sits next to Noctis, awake as a good co-pilot should be. He’s leaning against the passenger door, head propped in his hand. But his violet eyes aren’t on the road. They’re on Noctis. As is his unoccupied hand. On Noctis’ thigh.

The sparks between them are as tangible as those from a fire flask. Eventually, Noctis breaks like the fragile glass. He lets go of the steering wheel with his right hand and rests it over Prompto’s on his leg. Prompto hums appreciatively.

“So...” Noctis starts, but has no idea how to finish.

“So?” Prompto echoes.

“Where’re we gonna go?” Is what comes out, as vague and useless as Noctis has always felt he’s been when trying to voice his feelings.

Somehow, Prompto knows what he’s trying to say, but that’s it, isn’t it? Prompto already knows.

“Wherever you want, Noct.” Prompto squeezes his hand.

Noctis stares at him like he’s hung the moon. It takes him another long moment to raise Prompto’s knuckles to his lips.

_Yeah, he knows_.

**Author's Note:**

> this was dumb but i really like this song for the two of them and wanted to write something. thanks for reading! <3 sherlockwolf


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